Mr. FOSTER.

I do not want this thing to go just as it stands now. The leader of the House knows very well that we cannot work on together in this House, or in any other House, if one side of it is to use the word ' liar ' and when the gentleman or the man who used it acknowledges it he is not reprimanded by the Speaker; and on the other side of the House when a man uses the word ' coward ' as my hon. friend did in a joking way I am thoroughly assured

*

Oh, well, well, well.

Mr. FOSTER-the Speaker makes it his business not only to call him to order, but to go further, a thing that I have never before seen in this House in my 23 years experience, and demand without being asked by any member in the House, that this

gentleman apologize, we cannot live this way, and we will not live this way.

Oh.

Mr. FOSTER.

I do not care what the Speaker's views are or what his affiliations are, he must be fair to both sides of the House. That is all I ask. I do not know' whether the gentleman is here who used the word ' liar,' but if so he can cut the Gordian knot mighty quickly, as far as he is concerned, by getting up in his place and making an apology to the House, it will be then left for the Speaker to explain his conduct.

The man is here, let him apologize.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

I have again to appeal to the other side of the House. We are here to legislate, wre are here guided by certain rules, and one rule of the House is that an incident of this nature cannot be recalled in the midst of a debate. The Speaker may have been right, or he may have been wrong, this is not the time for me or any one

Mr. BORDEN (Halifax).

Let him apologize.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

No, this is not the time. I appeal to the House, this can be made a subject of a debate, we can have a debate over this, we can determine if Mr. Speaker was right or wrong, every decision of the Speaker is subject to appeal. I have to say this, and to appeal to the other side that on the present occasion we must proceed with the debate.

Apologize, order.

Mr. HUGHES.

I might point out to the First Minister that he could very quickly settle this matter by appealing to the Speaker

Sir WILFRID LAURIER.

Order.

Mr. HUGHES.

And make the hon. gentleman apologize.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER Order! Go

on.

Question.

Mr. CROTHERS.

I rise at this moment to move the adjournment of the debate. I think that will be the proper thing to do.

Mr. SPEAKER.

I know that the House will bear with me for a. moment while I say a word further in explanation and that it will admit that I, myself, of my own initiative, called upon the hon. member for Temiscouata (Mr. Gauvreau) to withdraw the expression which he had used, as I considered that was the proper course in the discharge of my duty.

Mr. FOSTER.

Why did you not ask him to apologize?

Mr. SPEAKER.

Because I did not hear the word used. But, I consider it my duty to ask the hon. gentleman to withdraw the expression and now, as I am the humble servant of the House and as I am here to maintain its rules. I called upon the hon. member for Temiseouata to withdraw the expression and he withdrew it.

Mr. HUGHES.

He did not.

Mr. SPEAKER.

He withdrew the expression as 'Hansard' shows. I did not at the time call upon him to apologize because I did not hear as I have heard in this case, the hon. member use that expression. If, under the circumstances, the hon. member for Temiseouata considers that he will be fulfilling his duty by apologizing for the expression I think he should do so now.

Mr. C. A. GAUVREAU (Temiseouata).

(Translation.) If it is against the rules of the House I have nothing to say.